Ductwork The steel deal


With steel prices on the rise, concerns have been raised that specifiers may be tempted to select the minimal galvanised steel coating on ductwork. Malcolm Moss, president of the Association of Ductwork Contractors and Allied Services (ADCAS), explains why any such short-term gain is unlikely to pay off in the long-term


T


he price of steel is influenced by many different factors – not least the strength of the world economy,


market confidence, supply and demand and even the occurrence of natural disasters.


Raw materials


Last year the UK steel industry found itself in the headlines for all the wrong reasons, with UK steel production effectively brought to its knees due in part to a flood of cheap Chinese steel into Europe. Since then, steel prices have risen significantly and are predicted to rise further over the next 12 months. While this may be good news for the steel mills that are still operating, there are concerns that this swing may have a negative effect on the ductwork industry. One of the key issues for UK-based ductwork manufacturers is the inability to source steel from UK-based suppliers. As things stand, UK steel stockholders and distributors are unable to provide the volume of British steel required and can only do so by bringing in imported raw material from overseas. With tariffs now being introduced on


some Far-Eastern steel imports, prices are being inflated and manufacturing options are increasingly limited. Unless manufacturers buy from trusted


sources and are truly confident about the origin of the steel they are purchasing, there is always a risk that they may not be getting exactly what they’ve paid for.


www.heatingandventilating.net Cost cutting


As increased raw material costs continue to fuel the rising price of steel, it is feared that specifiers may be tempted to try and save on capital costs by reducing the depth of galvanised steel coatings on their ductwork – effectively compromising on quality to keep prices low. A steel price jump of around 15 to 20% almost inevitably leads to costlier ductwork, something that may not have been accounted for in the original project costings. Galvanising involves the application of a


protective zinc coating to steel in order to prevent or slow the rusting process. Some specifiers may be tempted to choose minimum levels of the galvanised steel coating on ductwork in order to bring costs down. However, over the lifetime of the ductwork this will almost certainly work out as a more expensive option due to a significantly reduced product lifespan. However tempting it may be to focus on the immediate capital costs associated with ductwork, long-term thinking which takes into account the overall perform- ance and life expectancy of the cooling and heating system will likely lead to satisfied end users. Sub-standard ducting is far more likely


to rust, waste energy and impact negatively on the health and wellbeing of the building occupants. 140g/m2


is


recognised as the minimum galvanised steel coating but this is not suitable for every project – specifically in


Malcolm Moss is the president of the Assocation of Ductwork Contractors and Allied Services (ADCAS)


environments where longevity and corrosion are significant factors.


Quality assured


DW144 – the specification for sheet metal ductwork – reproduces Tata Steel tables that provide the approximate life expectancy of a solution dependent on its location in the UK. In every scenario, a coating weight of 275g/m2


to last twice as long as a 140g/m2


offering a more cost-effective solution. Unfortunately, the latest update to


DW144 could cause some confusion in the marketplace. In stating that 140g/m2


is


acceptable as long as the contractor deems it to be acceptable, there is an increased risk that the lower value coating will be used in projects where it is simply not up to the job. The prospective client will naturally want


the reassurance that they are buying good quality ductwork that can be expected to last well into the future. The problem is that it is impossible to assess the difference between galvanised coatings with the naked eye so they therefore rely on experts to offer them an honest assessment of their chosen solution.


In choosing an ADCAS member and following a reputable supply chain from stockholder through to ductwork contrac- tor, the client can minimise the likelihood of having to put additional funds towards a replacement solution should the original system fail to deliver on its promises.


February 2017 


can be expected coating,


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